Opiate addiction isn’t a type of moral weakness and it doesn’t happen because someone has a mental defect. Dependence on opiate medications is a medical condition which results from changes occurring in the brain of people who are using these drugs. Once someone has become addicted to narcotics, escaping from the cycle of relapsing and detoxing is a very long and arduous process.
Breaking away from opiate addiction takes more than willpower alone, it requires assistance from professionals who can give you everything you need to stop abusing your substance of choice. Newer medications such as buprenorphine, naltrexone, and suboxone, used with a twelve-step program have been useful to thousands of people who have found the road to recovery and given up drugs.
Narcotic or opiate dependence leads to serious and profound changes in the user’s brain. Prescription drug addiction alters the circuits in the brain that are responsible for mood and the “reward” center. Additionally, when someone has engaged in long-term drug addiction nearly every system in the body is affected.
When someone stops using an opiate they’ve been addicted to for a long period of time, they can experience some of the following side effects:
- Diarrhea
- Drug cravings
- Yawning
- Dilated pupils
- Chills
- Shaking
- Nausea/vomiting
- Body aches
- Mood swings
For someone going through severe opiate withdrawal, the syndrome is intensely unpleasant and people will do almost anything possible to avoid it or make it stop. It can take someone several hours or days to completely detox from opiate abuse, sometimes the physical and mental discomfort can persist for many weeks to come.
Opiate withdrawal can be extremely hard to endure and it’s the most common reason why people relapse back into drug use. Medication-assisted drug treatment is an excellent option for addicted individuals who are unable to commit to a long-term stay in an inpatient rehab center. If you are struggling with opiate dependence and seeking an alternative to long-term treatment, please contact our program today. We will discuss your needs, answer all your questions and decide on the best possible course to take in order to help you achieve a clean, drug-free life.